Apple pie, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, pecan pie. So MANY Pies! No one wants to experience dumping syndrome or slow their weight loss just because of the holidays, but it's normal to want to enjoy the foods you only eat once a year. Below are ways to alter standard dessert recipes to make them more bariatric friendly.
Instead of butter, choose the following:
- Use heart healthy oils like avocado or olive. They can be swapped for the same portion of butter listed.
- Low fat greek yogurt will provide a similar texture to butter and give extra protein.
- When baking breads and muffins, try applesauce or mashed bananas. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, swap it for ½ cup of applesauce or mashed banana and ½ cup of any vegetable oil.
- Try nut butters. Due to the similar texture as butter and healthy fat content, they are a great high protein substitute.
- Pumpkin puree can replace butter in a 1:1 ratio and add some fiber to your dish
- Pureed beans and legumes can replace butter in a 1:1 ratio as well. With their texture, this substitution is better suited for cakes, blondies and brownies.
- Use butter substitute products like Earth balanced pressed avocado oil, I can’t believe its not butter Original, Olivio, Country Crock plant butter with olive oil, Benecol, or Smart Balance original
To reduce added sugars:
- Cut out half the amount of sugar called for or more. Other terms for sugar are: honey, agave, cane sugar, syrup, fruit juice concentrate, or ingredients ending in “ose”. It is recommended to stay under 6 teaspoons of added sugar for women and under 9 teaspoons of added sugar for men daily by the American Heart Association. Depending on the recipe, do not eliminate sugar completely because it does contribute to the structure of baked goods.
- Use non-nutritive sweeteners like Splenda, Stevia, Allulose, Monk Fruit, or Erythritol in the place of sugar.
- Fruit will naturally sweeten a dessert
- Flavor with herbs and spices instead of sugar. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger allspice, vanilla extract and saffron are all fun fall flavors.
- Applesauce, dates and mashed bananas can also naturally sweeten desserts
Keep in mind, your portion of desserts should be about 3-4 bites or a small post-it note size.
